Duct wrap securing system

ABSTRACT

A duct to receive duct wrap is provided with a plurality of posts at different locations on and upstanding from the post to protrude through the duct wrap. Wrap retainers fit onto the post over the duct wrap securing the duct wrap on the duct.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for positively securingduct wrap on a duct.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Ducting such as air and grease ducts used to carry extremely hotfluids must be wrapped with insulating duct wrap where they are in closeproximity to a flammable building surface. They should also be wrappedat any location that could cause burning on an individual working nearthe duct.

[0003] In the past, a duct covering material has been wrapped inmultiple layers around a hot fluid carrying duct. Each successive layermust be positioned to partially overlap the layer below it to ensurethat wrap there are no gaps through the wrapping and to help prevent thewrap from releasing from the duct. This results in numerous wrap layerswhich can become quite heavy and bulky. The weight of the wrap can beproblematic particularly where the wrap is provided on a verticallyextending duct. In this particular situation the wrapping material has atendency to slide under its own weight downwardly along the duct awayfrom the desired insulating position on the duct.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a duct and a duct wrap securingsystem which avoids the problems associated with prior art duct wraps.

[0005] More particularly, according to the present invention, a duct isprovided with duct wrap receiving means to positively secure wrap on theduct. The receiving means is in the form of a plurality of posts atdifferent locations on and upstanding from the duct. These postspenetrate through and have protruding portions extending beyond the ductwrap. Duct wrap retainers are then fitted on to the protruding portionsof the posts to positively secure the wrap on the duct.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The above as well as other advantages and features of the presentinvention will be described in greater detail according to the preferredembodiments of the present invention in which;

[0007]FIG. 1 shows a combustion device having hot fluid carrying ductsextending therefrom and to be fitted with duct wrap;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a sectional view through one of the ducts from thecombustion device of FIG. 1 when fitted with duct wrap according to aprior art wrapping method;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective of a hot fluid carrying duct according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the duct of FIG. 1 and fittedwith the duct wrap;

[0011]FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing one of the ductposts and duct retainers from the duct of FIG. 3; and

[0012]FIG. 6 shows a duct fitted with a post carrying collar accordingto a further preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THEPRESENT INVENTION IN WHICH

[0013]FIGS. 1 and 2 both show products which are currently in themarketplace and which are labeled as PRIOR ART. More particularly, FIG.1 shows a combustion device 1 having hot fluid carrying ducts 3 and 5.These ducts must be wrapped with insulating material at locations wherethe ducts are in close proximity to any type of a potentially flammablesurface. For example, they must be wrapped with insulating materialwhere the ducts are adjacent to or pass through a wooden separationmember e.g., a wall or floor in a building.

[0014] These ducts are also typically wrapped with insulation materialat the point where they immediately exit the combustion device so as tobe safe for anyone working in the vicinity of the combustion device.

[0015] Duct 3 could for example be a hot air, hot grease or other hotliquid carrying type duct.

[0016]FIG. 2 shows duct 3 wrapped according to a known duct wrappingtechnique. This technique uses a first wrap 7 of insulating materialdirectly on the surface of the duct. A second wrap 9 of insulatingmaterial is positioned such that some of this wrap also sits directly onthe duct surface with part of the second wrap 9 overlapping the firstwrap 7. It is generally difficult to positively secure the overlapbetween the wraps 7 and 9 and as such a third wrap 11 is addedexteriorly of the two wraps 7 and 9 in an attempt to positively secureall of the wraps with one another.

[0017] As can be seen from FIG. 2 the multiple layers of wrap on theduct becomes quite bulky. They are also heavy and if the duct is set ina vertical orientation the weight of the duct wrapping material itself,particularly under the heat which tends to soften and loosen the wrap,will often cause the entire wrapping job to slide downwardly along theduct away from its useful position.

[0018]FIG. 3 shows a duct 11 which is again a hot fluid carry duct. Theduct of FIG. 3 is made in accordance with an embodiment of the inventionand is specifically adapted to receive duct wrap.

[0019] More particularly, duct 11 is provided with a plurality of posts13 fixed to the exterior surface of and protruding outwardly from duct11.

[0020] Upon wrapping of duct 11 with duct wrap material shown in FIG. 4each of the posts 11 receives a duct wrap retainer generally indicatedat 15. The combination of posts and the duct wrap retainers provides avery positive securing system for the duct wrap even when the duct runsin a vertical orientation.

[0021]FIG. 4 shows a specific method of wrapping duct 11 with duct wrapmaterial using the posts and retainers of FIG. 3.

[0022] Before discussing the actual wrapping technique of FIG. 4reference is had to FIG. 5 of the drawings which shows post 13 havingits base 14 secured directly to the exterior surface of duct 11.Preferably the attachment of the post to the duct is done throughspot-welding or some similar attachment method.

[0023] In addition FIG. 5 shows clearly that each wrap retainer 15 is inthe form of a pin member having a center eyelet 17 which fits over thefree end of post 13. Provided to either side of eyelet 17 are a pair ofprojecting prongs or pins 19 and 21. These prongs are positioned suchthat they face back inwardly at the duct when the wrap retainer ispositioned on the post.

[0024] Reference is now had to FIG. 4 of the drawings which shows apreferred method of positioning duct wrap on duct 11. Here it will beseen that a plurality of individual wraps 41, 43 and 45 are positioneddirectly against the outside surface of the duct. These individual wraps41, 43 and 45 abut one another at their edges and do not overlap asfound in the prior art.

[0025] The individual wraps 41, 43 and 45 are pushed onto the surface ofthe duct such that the posts 13 penetrate directly through theseindividual wraps.

[0026] A further series of individual wraps 47, 49, 51 and 53 are placedover the interior wraps 41, 43 and 46. The exterior wraps 47, 49, 51 and53 once again edge abut one another and do not overlap. They are howeverpositioned so as to completely cover the meeting edges of the interiorwraps. Therefore there is no area of heat penetration allowed throughthe very small gaps between the edges of the interior wraps.

[0027] The wraps 47, 49, 51 and 53 are positioned such that theiradjacent edges meet with one another from opposite sides of the posts13. A portion of each post indicated at 16 protrudes outwardly beyondthe exterior wraps. The eyelet 17 of the retainer 15 fits over theprotruding post portion 16 with the two prongs 19 and 21 of eachretainer penetrating back into separate individual wraps of the outerduct wrapping layer. For instance, one of the prongs of the wrapretainer penetrates into wrap 47 while the other prong of this same wrapretainer penetrates into wrap 49.

[0028] The above wrapping method provides a number of positive benefitsfor the wrapping of the duct. Firstly, and as can be clearly seen fromthe drawings, the overall wrap is much less bulky than and flat inrelation to the prior art wrapping method shown in FIG. 2 of thedrawings. Furthermore, the provision of the double pronged pin ensuresthat the meeting edges of the adjacent external wraps are held in placeby a single retainer and do not allow the individual wraps to lift offthe duct. The external wraps are used to not only block any gaps betweenthe internal wraps but are also used to hold the internal wraps againstthe outer surface of the duct.

[0029] As a final point, the feature that the duct post actuallypenetrates the wrap fixes the wrap on the duct and allows the duct to beused in a vertical position while precluding any possible slippage ofthe wrap along the duct.

[0030]FIG. 6 of the drawings shows another embodiment of the inventionin which a duct 25 is provided with a plurality of duct wrap securingposts 31. According to this embodiment, the posts rather than beingsecured directly to the exterior surface of the duct are mounted on acollar 29 which fits over the surface of the duct. This collar issecured on the duct to establish a fixed position for the posts 31.These posts will once again penetrate the duct wrap material to receivea duct wrap retainer.

[0031] In the embodiments shown the collars 31 which are fittedindividually onto the duct in their desired positions relative to oneanother could be positively secured to the duct as by spot-welding orthe like. It is also possible to provide each of the collars with ahinged construction which would open and close around the duct. Such ahinged construction can then be clamped in a fixed position on the duct.This would eliminate the requirement for any welding or the like.

[0032] It is to be noted that the wrapping technique showed in FIG. 4could include more than only two layers of wrap. Although it is alsopossible to pin the wraps in a different manner it is preferred that thedouble pin be used to secure side by side wraps regardless of the numberof wraps used.

[0033] Although various preferred embodiments of the present inventionhave been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilledin the art that variations may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A duct wrap securingsystem comprising a duct mountable post and a wrap retainer which fitsover said post.
 2. A duct wrap securing system as claimed in claim 1wherein said wrap retainer comprises a pin with first and second prongslocated to opposite sides of an eyelet which fits onto said post.
 3. Aduct wrap securing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ductmountable post is secured to and protrudes outwardly from a ductmountable collar.
 4. A duct to receive duct wrap, said duct beingprovided with a plurality of posts at different locations on andupstanding from said duct to receive duct wrap retainers which fit ontosaid posts.
 5. A duct as claimed in claim 4 wherein said posts arespot-welded to said duct.
 6. A duct as claimed in claim 4 wherein saidposts are secured to a collar secured around said duct.
 7. A duct systemfor receiving duct wrap, said duct system comprising a duct, a pluralityof wrap penetrating posts located around, along and upstanding from saidduct, and wrap retainers which mount to said posts.
 8. A duct system asclaimed in claim 7 wherein each of said posts has a free end and each ofsaid wrap retainers has an eyelet to fit over the free end of the post.9. A duct system as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said retainercomprises a pin member with first and second prongs located to oppositesides of said eyelet.